Dame Vera Lynn died at 103 today. Whenever I hear her sing We’ll Meet Again I think of my mother. My mother gifted me so many old songs and I am so thankful for that. Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree With anyone else but me… My blog coach instructed me to write an entry this morning and my first thought was I do not have the time. I got out of bed early this morning because I had one hundred more pages to proof of When the Hill Came Down. I wanted it done and sent back to my publisher so it can go to print and I can hold it in my hands as soon as possible.I wanted to get to the garden for at least an hour and reward myself with a relaxing afternoon at my friend’s camp. I wanted to fit in a swim . I had a short surprise visit from a friend who came for eggs and had the pleasure of sitting on the back veranda chatting for a few minutes. I had a nice message from someone with a possible literary invitation inquiry.I read through the ms and only found one mistake(don’t hold me to that Elias) and was bawling by the end of it which means my work was done and I created what I set out to do when telling the story. Hopefully readers will agree. I read the acknowledgments which gives mention to the importance of Gladys and my Dad in the fabric of this finished book.My blog coach asked me to write some good things about marriage.Marriage like writing a book is hard work. It is not a fairy tale or a perfect painting . It is messy and difficult and frustrating and maddening. It is ups and downs, disappointments, compromise and confusion. It is joy and sorrow, laughter and tears. It is sunshine and heavy rain. It is still blue water and perilous waves. It is worth it. The results of all the hard work will be a legacy you leave your children and grandchildren. Love will triumph if you make the choice to let some of the other crap go. I am not saying that all marriages are worth slogging through . Some situations need to be escaped and I do not judge anyone who makes the choice to walk away from a marriage. But if perfection is the goal you will be disappointed. Sometimes days start out one way and end up another. Maybe only a few weeds will get pulled today and I will have to tell myself what I did achieve today will have to be enough. I seem to be rambling a bit but I got my ms sent back, wrote an entry, cried some tears , remembered Gladys and Dad and my mom, heard Dame Vera Lynn’s beautiful voice and feel deeply grateful for it all.